In a recent podcast interview, independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. expressed his belief that women should have the right to choose to have an abortion at any point during their pregnancy.
This statement came as a surprise to his running mate, Nicole Shanahan, who had previously asserted a different stance on Kennedy's views on abortion rights.
During his conversation with former ESPN anchor Sage Steele on her self-titled podcast, Kennedy stated, "Every abortion is a tragedy. Many of them leave permanent trauma on a woman. But I think, ultimately, I dont trust government to have a jurisdiction over peoples bodies." He went on to add, "I dont think any woman has ever, ever in history, has said Im going to have a baby Im going to get pregnant and carry that baby to eight months of term and then Im going to terminate the pregnancy.' I dont think anybody wants to do that."
Kennedy's comments were in stark contrast to those made by Shanahan on the same podcast days earlier. She had relayed a conversation with Kennedy, stating, "I spoke to Bobby about this, and at the end of the day, he says Yes, this is a womans choice, period. And I said, Even up until birth? And yes was his answer." Shanahan expressed surprise at Kennedy's comments to Steele, asserting that she believed Kennedy's position included limits on abortion.
Kennedy's views on abortion have varied throughout his campaign. At the Iowa State Fair in August 2023, he told NBC, "I believe a decision to abort a child should be up to the women during the first three months of life. Once a child is viable, outside the womb, I think then the state has an interest in protecting the child." This statement led to a retraction from his campaign, which claimed Kennedy had misunderstood the question.
The official stance of Kennedy's campaign, as reported by Politico, is that "Mr. Kennedys position on abortion is that it is always the womans right to choose. He does not support legislation banning abortion." His campaign website further elaborates on his policy, advocating for "more choices, more life," and promoting increased economic opportunities for women to afford childcare.
Campaign press secretary Stefanie Spear clarified Kennedy's position, stating, "Mr. Kennedy believes that abortion is a tragedy, and that late-term abortions are horrifying. He believes that the mother has the final say, and moral responsibility, in such decisions. He is committed to reducing the abortion rate by supporting mothers and families and implementing universally affordable child care."
Kennedy's comments on abortion rights have sparked a debate within his campaign, revealing a potential miscommunication between him and his running mate. As the presidential race continues, it remains to be seen how this divergence in understanding will impact their campaign and the voters' perception of their platform.
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